Haven holidays - ever been on one? What are they like?

[Miaou]

We are thinking of booking to go to Haven Holidays (Craig Tara in Ayrshire) for the October holidays. Has anyone been on one? Are they any good? We went to a Center Parcs place a few years ago and were quite impressed.

Tried to find a review on MN but there doesn't appear to be one ...

dd1 went to craig tara and loved it. (she went with opeters parents)

haven isnt like center parks at all. so be prepared for that. there is plenty to do on site, but some say its cheap and nasty. i say, weho cares, its a holiday, the kids enjoy it, and i get to have a little break as well.

Ooh thanks misdee - sounds like our kind of place then

Just wondering if you get stung for extra charges - we are unlikely to use more facilities than the swimming pool and possibly the kids clubs.

I used to work there when it was Butlins and then Wonderwest world. It has changed a lot since then so I am probably more help with things to do off site.

the site will tell you how much it all costs. swimming pool and kids clubs arefree/

You can't leave the children in the kids club & where we wnet Doniford Bay - the Kids club was in a dark bar - even tho' it was really sunny outside

my children love Haven sites the childrens entertainment at night is brilliant with Bradley Bear , Rorry the Tiger etc . if you want a fun family holiday it is ideal with loads going on all day

Oooh good Skribble - may come back to you on that if/when we book it!

Yes I had read that about the kid clubs - that doesn't bother me tbh as we would plan to spend all our time together (or dh and me take two kids each). All sounds good so far.

We have done Center parcs and Haven. Kids happy at both. We just booked Primrose Valley at Easter. Different to Center Parcs. Swimming Pool not as good at Haven but Haven includes much more things in actual price. Agree with Missdee not to be snobbish but is a little more downmarket than center parcs hence the price!

Done both. dd is 4, Haven not my cup of tea at all but dd loved it (much more child oriented)

However dd came back from HAven riddled with nits and the catch phrase wasa... "wouldn't have happened at center parcs"

Think of it like this

Haven = men with tattooed hands and young girls with buggys and fags hanging out their mouth

CP = 2.4 children, MPVs and north face jackets

I'd do them both over though, lol

ought to add, dd prefered haven as dressed up people, entertainment specific to children etc.. and the laid back feeling kind of rubbed off on me.

LOL ooooh MOH contraversial !
Agree center parcs my Dp was only person who smoked in the whole place i'm sure!

we fot in better at haven

apaprt from the nits. we dont do nits, they are banished.

last family holiday was haven, and it was lovely.

LOL Mascara! I have to say that we will be giving the "entertainment" a wide berth - not our cup of tea at all. The attraction for us is a) cheap accommodation; b) swimming pool; c) nice views and walks; d) things to do nearby. As long as those things are OK then I'm happy

actually I found the childrens, early evening, entertainment very good at Haven... lots of people dressed up as random animals doing a 'show' dd absolutely loved it, I mean, really really loved it... as right down the front and was nearly 4 then. There's nothing like that at CP but then found at CP she was genera;ly to knackered to even ejoy the disco

Craig Tara- check you get a caravan not a chalet as they are cr*p and don't eat in the 'restaraunt'
Loved the area, loads to do nearby, Head of Ayr animal park next door is fab!
Swimming pool would have been fine (changing rooms a bit rough though) if I had 1:1 ,1:2 doesn't work with loads of slides etc

Good thing about Scotland, there will be no smoking inside anywhere including the bars, so that will make a big difference. Woo Hoo!!!

The shows for the kids can be quite good the red coats do put their heart and souls into it as they are desperate to make it big . The big shows at night can have some biggish names and good quality acts.

Craig Tara pool was always one of the better ones.

LOL Mascara...very true though.

Haven is fine as long as you can tune out while the kids are being entertained, they loved the entertainers but I would happily have disembowled them by the end of the week.

I would say if you are going to stereotype Haven is more working class & I think Centerparks is probably more middle class. Having said that we really enjoyed both but there WERE some odd types at Haven, I wouldnt have let the children go off on their own.

Although likewise centerparcs AA [GRIN]

I could afford them to go off at centreparcs, they would have bankrupted me.

couldnt afford even.

Its past my bedtime

glad i found this thread as have just been looking at haven website for easter. DH is so totally against any holiday park holidays...apart from center parcs! but CP is just so expensive and looking at the haven website they look like alot more stuff for the children to do (DS's age 5 and 2) and the accommodation doesn't look too bad.

I wouldnt go for the cheapest accommodation at Haven it can be a bit "tired"

We've been on 2 Hoseasons caravan holiday park holidays with ds's and ds1 (who can remember them) absolutely loved them - is most distressed that this year we're 'only' going to a cottage and farm....!

We went to 2 different caravan parks in North Wales and both were fab - caravans are brilliant with small children - no steps (except in and out of them!) and they loved their little bedrooms! Felt very safe, laid back and there was plenty on site in terms of food and entertainment when we couldn't be bothered to go further afield. I'm sure we'll go again in the next couple of years - ds1 will be made up!

Futurity i would def reccomend to give it a go price is same reason we booked there for easter and not CP my DC'S same age and loved it in Oct and to be fair this type of holiday for them. If they happy we are ?